One Winchendon man learns of his brother's WWII death in the newspaper
WINCHENDON – Pfc. Paul F. Laperriere was stationed with the U. S. Army in England and reading the latest edition of The Stars and Stripes, dated April 28, 1944, when something caught his eye.
A story in the daily American military newspaper featured a report of 12 U.S. airmen who had been buried by the Swiss and Laperriere was shocked to read the name of his brother as one of the victims.
The news item read: “BERNE, Switzerland, April 28 (DELAYED) – Funeral services were held today for 12 of 16 American fliers who died as a result of attacks on Germany and whose planes landed or crashed in Switzerland in the last two days. Four bodies still lie at the bottom of Lake Greifensee, East of Zurich.
The 12 Americans will be buried at Munsingen, where American authorities have acquired a plot to serve as a burial ground for American airmen in Switzerland. Among the airmen was Sgt. U. J. Laperriere of Winchendon, Mass.”
Paul Laperriere immediately put the newspaper in the mail to send these sad tidings to his parents, Frederick and Isabel Laperriere of Winchendon.
This is the continuation of the series Remembering Local World War II Heroes.
Sgt. Urvin J. Laperriere (1924-1944)
Urvin J. Laperriere was born on May 2, 1924 in Winchendon, the son of Frederick and Isabel (Martin) Laperriere. His parents moved to Dover, N.H., where he attended the public school, before they returned to Winchendon in 1938 where Urvin and his father were employed at the White Bros. mills and lived at 10 Beech St. in Winchendon Springs.
Urvin enlisted in the Army Air Corps on July 22, 1942. He trained at Miami, Florida, and in California and was the chief radio operator and gunner on a bomber. His last furlough was Feb. 10, 1944 after which he was sent overseas to England.
Associated Press dispatches published in a number of Boston newspapers on April 25 reported from Berne that “planes in greater numbers than ever before could be heard in the Lugano area. Twelve damaged American bombers landed and two others crashed in Switzerland in daylight during the raid in which 200 U.S. planes heavily attacked Friedrichshafen, Germany and surrounding areas.”
A short time later, the Laperrieres received the telegram which sent the inevitable news they had been fearing all along. That their 20-year-old son Urvin J. Laperriere was the radioman and perished in one of the crashed planes, dubbed ‘Lil Brat, in Switzerland.
In addition to his parents and brother Paul Laperriere, who entered the army on Dec. 19, 1942 and had been in England, he had three other brothers who lived in Winchendon, Philip A., Eugene and Robert.
A stone in the Calvary Cemetery is in place memorializing Sgt. Urvin J. Laperriere
Lt. Joseph R. Launier (1921-1945)
Joseph R. Launier was born in 1921 in Worcester to Arthur M. and Henrietta A. (Casavant) Launier. The family lived on Royalston Road and Launier graduated from Murdock High in 1939.
While in high school, he was employed as a clerk at the local First National and A&P stores.
He enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1939 and attended officers’ training school at Miami, Florida, after which he was stationed in Alaska. He later returned to Florida where he graduated in May 1944 with the commission of Second Lieutenant. In the fall of 1944, he was sent to the China-India-Burma area.
Lt. Launier was reported killed in India on March 4, 1945 in a plane crash, according to a telegram received by his parents.
In addition to his parents, he was survived by five brothers, with three of them in the service at the time of their brother's death. There was Lt. Hector E. Launier in the Army Air Force at Turner Field, GA; Tech. Sgt. Arthur J. Launier who had been wounded in France and was hospitalized in England; and Pvt. William C. Launier who was stationed in Bermuda.
Two other brothers, George and Richard, and five sisters, Sister Mary Martin of Holyoke, Mrs. Dora Bernard of Gardner, Mrs. Viola Arsenault of Worcester, and Bella and Aurore of Winchendon, mourned his loss.
On March 23, 1945, a solemn pro-burial high Mass was held in St. Mary’s Church in Winchendon for Lt. Launier. He was buried in Manila, but was also listed on the family plot in Calvary Cemetery, Winchendon.
According to a note in the Winchendon Courier following his death, “he was well known in town for his genial disposition and personal interest in all customers which made him a large circle of friends who will mourn his untimely death.”
Comments and suggestions for Remembering Local World War II Heroes can be sent to Mike Richard at mikerichard0725@gmail.com or in writing to Mike Richard, 92 Boardley Road, Sandwich, MA 02563.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Urvin Laperriere, Joseph Launier from Winchendon died in WWII
